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MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact want to turn the page on the first half of their season. After 17 games — the midway point of Montreals third season in Major League Soccer — the Impact are dead last in the standings with a league-worst 3-9-5 record. The team will be looking to start anew when it takes on the Columbus Crew on the road on Saturday. "Its a brand-new season," said an optimistic Hassoun Camara. "We didnt do so well in the first part. We were expecting a lot better. We have to do everything to reverse the trend, and we have the players to do so. "Were technically sound, even more so than many teams in the league. What we need now is to meet those other teams intensity." Montreal is tied with the Chicago Fire for fewest wins on the season (3), and only the San Jose Earthquakes have scored fewer times than the Impact (17). The teams minus-12 goal differential is second worst in MLS behind only the Houston Dynamo. Despite their poor start to the season, the Impact are far from admitting defeat. "That wasnt an easy half of the year for us," said assistant coach Mauro Biello. "There are still a lot of games, and theres a lot of parity in this league. If we can string together a few good games, well be in a good position. We have to work hard, focus on the positive, and go from there." Though theyve picked up just 14 points from 17 games, Frank Klopas men are still only nine points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Playing in a league where streaking teams can quickly climb in the standings, the Impact are hoping a few positive results will finally get the ball rolling. "Were only halfway through the season," said striker Jack McInerney, whos scored six goals in 12 games for Montreal. "Weve played good soccer lately; we just havent gotten the results. There are still plenty of points on the table. Going forward, were going to have to do everything right." The Impact will start the second half of their season at Columbus Crew Stadium facing a side going through a lengthy rough patch of their own. After starting the season with three wins in a row, the Crew (4-7-8) have only won once in their last 16 MLS matches, and are winless in their last seven. Columbus, a club known this season for its successful passing and long spells of possession, is coming off a tough midweek loss against Kansas City. On Wednesday, a stoppage-time goal by Sportings Benny Feilhaber handed the Crew their second loss in a row. With Saturdays opponents on just two days rest, McInerney is calling the game against Columbus a perfect matchup for the Impact. "Theyre struggling also," he said. "Going in there, were really going to have to defend, play on the counter, and see what we can get on the break. Its a winnable game, so we have to go into it looking for the three points." Like the Crew, Montreal wants to move on from a heartbreaking loss against Kansas City. Last Saturday, a defensive mistake gifted all three points to Sporting when defender Heath Pearce and goalie Troy Perkins got their wires crossed and failed to clear a harmless ball away from the penalty box in the 89th minute. The week before, the Impact conceded a stoppage-time goal to Chivas USA for its first loss since returning from the World Cup break. The Impact had not dropped back-to-back contests since losing its first three to start the season. On Saturday, Montreal will look to take advantage of a depleted Columbus lineup that lost two of its players to injury in the last couple of weeks. Crew forward Jairo Arrieta left a July 12 game against the New York Red Bulls with a left hamstring strain, and has not played since. Hector Jimenez, an offensive-minded midfielder for Columbus, sprained his knee on July 4. Both have been ruled out for the game versus Montreal. Arrietas and Jimenezs absence will make things easier for an Impact backline that has been showing signs of improvement lately, despite consecutive losses. Montreal has conceded just three times in four games, and has recorded four clean sheets in its last seven in all competitions. "Were on the right track," said Biello, whose team is the only one in MLS without a road win this season (0-5-3). "Look at our last few games, the team is playing better. If we can do that on the road, along with the quality we have up front, we can get a result. A few draws and victories on the road will give us a good chance to make the playoffs." That will depend largely on the Impacts offence, which has been stale all season. Montreal has scored more than two goals just once this year — a 3-0 victory against Houston at the end of June. Goals have been especially hard to come by away from home, where the Impact have scored just five times in eight games. McInerney says Montreal has to start getting more players forward. "Weve put in a lot of work defending, because we had some struggles keeping the ball out of the net," said the 21-year-old. "But too many people are sitting back now. We have to get numbers in the box; its the only way were going to create opportunities for the team and create chances." The Impact and Crew will play each other twice more after Saturdays contest — on Aug. 30 in Montreal, and on Sept. 27 in Columbus. Notes: Marco Di Vaio, who has found the back of the net twice in his last three games, has three career tallies versus Columbus. The Italian striker celebrated his 38th birthday on Tuesday. … The Crews last MLS win came on May 24 versus the Chicago Fire. … On Tuesday, defender Adrian Lopez suffered a second ACL tear in his right knee. Lopez, who played just 44 minutes with the Impact since being acquired last July, will be out for the rest of the season. … After missing two games due to a groin injury, Justin Mapp now has two assists in his last three games. Tom Seaver Jersey . The 6-foot-10 centre who won an NBA title with the Miami Heat was voted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday, adding that honour to becoming a board member at his alma mater. Jacob deGrom Jersey . Braden Calverts Winnipeg rink rallied to defeat Italy 8-7. After giving up three points in the second end, Calvert came back with a single, then stole two more points in the next two ends to tie it up at the fifth-end break. http://www.metsrookiestore.com/Mets-Pedr...ez-Kids-Jersey/. Toronto (11-12) gave up leads in 10-8 and 11-4 losses to the Baltimore Orioles this week. It was never close Friday as the Boston Red Sox got to Mark Buehrle early en route to an 8-1 win. Noah Syndergaard Jersey .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. Steven Matz Jersey .I get texts: Do you know Drake? Have you met Drake? He sits there every night, he hears me cuss out the referees every night, Casey said, laughing.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Houston Astros saw a completely different Jered Weaver than the one they faced 6 1/2 weeks ago at Minute Maid Park, when they hit four home runs off him. The Los Angeles Angels ace pitched a two-hitter Wednesday night in the rematch, posting his first complete game in nearly two years, and Albert Pujols hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth to lead the Halos to a 2-1 victory. "Those guys roughed me up a little bit at their place, so I wanted to come in here and have a good game and keep us in it as much as possible," Weaver said. "Their guy was throwing a good game, too. So it was nice to come out on top." Weaver (5-3) threw 94 pitches while going the distance for the 12th time in 241 career starts and first time since Aug. 6, 2012, when he beat the Athletics 4-0 with a four-hitter at Oakland. "It was definitely exciting to run out there for the ninth and hear the fans," Weaver said. "Thats what you pitch for -- to go deep into games and finish it off." Weaver struck out five, walked one and retired 17 of his last 19 batters -- including 10 straight after giving up a leadoff homer to George Springer in the fourth. The three-time All-Star is 5-1 with a 1.70 ERA over his last seven starts. Weaver hit Springer with a pitch with one out in the ninth, then picked him off after getting a sign from manager Mike Scioscia in the dugout. He got the final out by retiring Dexter Fowler on a popup to third base. "In that situation, Im not really worried about baserunners. But Scioscia called a great pickoff there," Weaver said. "Usually when I look over, I can see a little bit of the runner. But when I looked over before that pick, I couldnt see him. So I figured he was off the bag pretty good. I just made a good quick move, and that definitely took a lot of pressure off." Weaver threw a called third strike to Jason Castro in the fourth for his 1,281st career strikeout, overtaking Mike Witt on the Angels career list behind Nolan Ryan and Chuck Finley. "I didnt even know that I was coming up on any milestone like that at all," Weaver said. "I think I threw strrikeouts out the door maybe two years ago.dddddddddddd I mean, its great when youre young and you just want to go out there and try to strike everybody out. But then you realize that getting early outs is just as important and it helps you get deeper in games." Collin McHugh (2-3) lost his third straight decision over four starts despite allowing just two runs and four hits in seven innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked two. Erick Aybar drove in the Angels other run with a third-inning single. "You know coming into it that Weavers arguably one of if not the best pitchers in this league," McHugh said. "So you know that youre not going to be able to give up a lot and that its going to be a dogfight." Pujols who homered twice on Sunday against Tampa Bay ace David Price, drove a 2-1 pitch into the top tier of the double-decker bullpen in left field for his 13th homer this season and 505th of his career to surpass Eddie Murray for 25th place on the career list. On hand to see it was Air Force staff sergeant Tom Sherrill of Pomona, California, who came up with Pujols 500th home run ball on April 22 at Nationals Park in Washington. "What I did two or three weeks ago, I put that in the past. Ive flipped the page," Pujols said. "My goal is to try to concentrate on whats in front of me and help this organization win. I dont get caught up too much in numbers." NOTES: The jockey and trainer for Triple Crown hopeful California Chrome -- Victor Espinoza and Art Sherman -- each threw out a ceremonial first pitch. ... Angels CF Mike Trout missed his first game of the season because of a sore left hamstring, but was available to pinch-hit if necessary. He expects to be back in the lineup Friday night for the start of a three-game series with Kansas City. Collin Cowgill started in CF for the third time this season and robbed Jose Altuve of a hit with a diving catch of his shallow flyball leading off the game. Altuve was 0 for 4, ending his career-best 12-game hitting streak. ...... Pujols had 43 home runs against the Astros, tying Aramis Ramirez for the most among active players. ' ' '